The Marriaqua United Friendly Society, commonly known as BUNPAN, continued in its tradition of giving back to its membership and their children, when, on Thursday 14th July, it awarded two scholarships and 17 bursaries to successful entrants in the 2022 CPEA.
The two scholarship recipients this year were Daniel Cato of Calder and Aleah Skerrit of Calder Ridge.
They both received their awards, i.e. funding throughout secondary school and community college, at a function at BUNPAN’s headquarters in Mesopotamia.
Those receiving bursaries will collect a one-time payment of EC$100.
BUNPAN started awarding scholarships in 1985 and to date, the institution has distributed 53 scholarships and many more bursaries.
“Certainly, it’s a heightened expectation of BUNPAN to provide adequate education programmes and development for its members, and their children,” Vice President Leroy Jackson said.
“And so, as an institution we endeavor to co-partner with you(students) to ensure that you have an opportunity to pursue an educational career of your choice at various institutions that you will attend,” he continued.
Luke Browne, former Parliamentarian and a BUNPAN scholarship recipient in 1997, in delivering an address at the ceremony, said that he believed that the investment made by the institution contributed in part to his story.
“It was an investment that they made in me when I was about your (students) age. I was not sure about my future, what I was going to do, what I wanted to be when I grew up. But I knew I wanted to do well and make my parents and community proud,” Browne said.
According to the Government Senator and Health Minister, the scholarship he received from BUNPAN set the course for him in terms of being offered more scholarships.
He went on to receive a national scholarship, and even became a Rhode’s Scholar.
Browne said that he has been able to not just do well academically but went on to serve his country all by starting off with the foundation provided to him by BUNPAN.
“And the same can be for many of you,” he told the 2022 scholarship and bursary recipients, but cautioned that it was not going to be fun all the time; there would setbacks and challenges, but the key was to remain focus and keep their eyes on the prize.